Find your state’s wage benchmark
The U.S. median annual wage for medical equipment preparers was $47,700 in May 2025. This is the closest standard federal occupation to sterile processing, but it includes other medical equipment preparation work. Use the state figures to set context for a search, then compare current sterile processing postings and actual offers in your city. A state median is a benchmark, not an offer for your shift, employer, or experience level.
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Compare low, median, and high annual wages. Scroll the table sideways if text enlargement makes it wider than your screen.
| State | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States benchmark | $36,410 | $47,700 | $69,950 |
| California | $43,680 | $61,370 | $85,240 |
| Washington | $41,210 | $58,830 | $79,880 |
| Massachusetts | $40,980 | $58,580 | $77,130 |
| New York | $39,140 | $57,320 | $71,000 |
| Delaware | $47,120 | $53,300 | $63,450 |
| Hawaii | $42,830 | $51,630 | $61,170 |
| Rhode Island | $39,940 | $51,460 | $62,500 |
| New Jersey | $38,050 | $50,280 | $69,570 |
| Minnesota | $40,900 | $50,070 | $61,580 |
| Alaska | $45,750 | $49,920 | $77,590 |
| Vermont | $39,560 | $48,990 | $73,330 |
| New Hampshire | $40,180 | $48,900 | $62,170 |
| Oregon | $35,810 | $48,890 | $63,770 |
| Maryland | $37,440 | $48,680 | $62,820 |
| Wyoming | $37,590 | $48,210 | $60,220 |
| Illinois | $38,280 | $48,050 | $66,390 |
| Utah | $39,760 | $47,980 | $64,920 |
| Connecticut | $38,910 | $47,980 | $62,690 |
| Georgia | $36,660 | $47,850 | $62,960 |
| Colorado | $35,760 | $47,700 | $65,170 |
| Wisconsin | $38,170 | $47,570 | $59,180 |
| Tennessee | $35,090 | $46,990 | $60,360 |
| Texas | $35,390 | $46,970 | $69,950 |
| Kentucky | $35,340 | $46,880 | $60,410 |
| Maine | $38,010 | $46,860 | $59,780 |
| Arizona | $35,290 | $46,790 | $60,760 |
| Nevada | $38,450 | $46,640 | $60,890 |
| Virginia | $37,320 | $46,580 | $61,280 |
| Idaho | $35,600 | $46,450 | $60,350 |
| Florida | $35,630 | $45,890 | $62,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,500 | $45,820 | $57,070 |
| Michigan | $37,750 | $45,670 | $58,050 |
| Ohio | $36,620 | $45,540 | $57,870 |
| Kansas | $34,320 | $45,280 | $59,750 |
| Indiana | $35,400 | $45,210 | $60,530 |
| North Carolina | $36,410 | $45,130 | $58,950 |
| West Virginia | $34,690 | $44,830 | $51,970 |
| Montana | $36,810 | $44,670 | $56,770 |
| Missouri | $34,510 | $43,480 | $58,420 |
| Oklahoma | $34,400 | $43,460 | $57,770 |
| South Carolina | $31,840 | $42,510 | $57,910 |
| South Dakota | $31,680 | $42,330 | $54,680 |
| Nebraska | $36,250 | $41,480 | $57,260 |
| Iowa | $37,070 | $39,930 | $52,300 |
| North Dakota | $37,600 | $38,910 | $61,440 |
| Arkansas | $32,490 | $38,100 | $48,530 |
| New Mexico | $31,040 | $36,720 | $56,530 |
| Louisiana | $27,880 | $35,960 | $50,440 |
| Alabama | $30,180 | $35,800 | $45,670 |
| Mississippi | $30,140 | $35,160 | $47,330 |
Source: CareerOneStop’s Salary Finder for Medical Equipment Preparers, using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 OEWS data. Figures are annual low, median, and high wages for occupation 31-9093. The occupation includes sterile processing work but is broader than an SPD-only role. The national row stays visible when you filter states.
What the state comparison reveals
California had the highest reported state median in this dataset at $61,370, followed by Washington at $58,830 and Massachusetts at $58,580. Compare those wage figures with the cost and working conditions in your target city. Local housing costs, shift differentials, benefits, overtime rules, and the type of facility can change the practical result. Our highest-paying states ranking explains the top markets in more depth.
Turn a state figure into a local target
- Search the titles “sterile processing technician,” “central service technician,” “instrument technician,” and “endoscope reprocessor” in your metro area. Save ten current postings.
- Separate base pay from evening or night differential, on-call pay, and travel stipends. Record full-time hours and benefits before comparing annual totals.
- Use the state median as a reference point, then narrow to employers that match your certification, experience, and preferred setting.
- At the offer stage, compare total compensation and the rotations that develop your next skill. A better learning environment can change your next earning step.
Why we use this occupation
Federal wage tables do not publish a separate nationwide sterile processing technician series. CareerOneStop displays the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for “Medical Equipment Preparers” (31-9093), a category whose definition includes preparing, sterilizing, installing, or cleaning medical equipment. We reproduce the published annual low, median, and high figures for the 50 states. The figures cover sterile processing and related equipment-preparation roles. For openings and role fit, use the job-board comparison and our job market guide.